Photo Stories/Essays
A CATHOLIC PRIEST
Father Marvin Paul Felipe allowed me to follow him for a few days in order to complete this piece on a day in the life of a Catholic priest.
Father Marvin Paul Felipe gives a mass at St. Anne's Church in the Sunset District at 9am on Sunday Sept. 20, 2009.
Father Marvin Paul Felipe catches up on some office work in the rectory at St. Anne's Church in the Sunset District on Sunday Sept. 20, 2009.
Father Marvin Paul Felipe interacts with a parishioner during a reception at St. Anne's Church in the Sunset District on Sunday Sept. 20, 2009.
Father Marvin Paul Felipe talks with children who attend St. Anne's School Monday morning, Sept. 21, 2009 before the school day begins.
Father Marvin Paul Felipe, a preist at St. Anne's Church in the Sunset District, consuls a couple about their marriage plans on Monday evening Sept. 21, 2009.
Father Marvin Paul Felipe, a preist at St. Anne's Church in the Sunset District, plays with his dogs outside the rectory on Sept. 22, 2009.
FINDING SPIRITUALITY THROUGH ZEN PRACTICE
For this piece I followed Isabel Penaranda for a week while she participated in the guest student program at the San Francisco Zen Center.
The San Francisco Zen Center is located on the corner of Laguna and Page.
Isabel Penaranda, a guest student, works at the San Francisco Zen Center on Tuesday, March 30, 2010.
Isabel Penaranda practices Zen meditation while she works at the Zen Center on Tuesday, March 30, 2010.
Isabel Penaranda clean an office at the San Francisco Zen Center on Tuesday, March 30, 2010.
At the San Francisco Zen Center Penaranda's days are filled with chores which she does while practicing Zen meditation.
Some of Isabel Penaranda's chores include washing dishes.
All guest students spend time in the kitchen either doing dishes or preparing meals.
"I started meditating when I was 14 or 15. It always made sense to me," says Penaranda.
Isabel Penaranda and others meditate at the San Francisco Zen Center on Thursday, April 1, 2010
"It is really important for the west to remember how important community is," says Penaranda.
Shoes are laid outside one of the meditation rooms at the San Francisco Zen Center before a celebration of Buddha's birthday on Saturday, April 3, 2010.
Penaranda is 17 and taking a year off before college. In the fall she will attend Columbia University.
"I came here because I wanted to be supported in the integration of my life and my practice," says Penaranda.
Isabel Penaranda participates in a celebration for Buddha's birthday on Saturday, April 3, 2010.
CARING FOR THE ELDERLY
In 2009 25 year- old Thia Tran had been working with Catholic Charities Adult Day Services for about two years. Tran was born in Vietnam but came to the U.S. when she was just three years old. She attended San Jose State University and has a degree in criminal justice and psychology. She originally started volunteering at the Jewish Home for the Aging and with Pathway’s hospice care from there she became interested in the field and eventually got her current position. She says that the most rewarding part of her job is seeing the clients happy, “there is a stigma that they aren’t important and they are often ignored,” she said. The most challenging aspect of her job she says is communication, sometimes with the clients and sometimes with other employees and the clients’ family members.
Thia Tran, an employee of Catholic Charities CYO Adult Day Services, talks with Rita Kelly, a client, leaning close so that Rita can hear her on Dec. 9. Tran has worked with the center for two years. It is located in San Francisco, CA.
Thia Tran helps Roland Demarais into his wheelchair on Dec. 9 at the Catholic Charities CYO Adult Day Services. Demarais need extra help because he has Parkinson's Disease.
Thia Tran helps Herbert Olsen to eat a piece of chocolate on Dec. 9. Olsen has Alzheimer's and often becomes confused. The Adult Day Services center offers people like Olsen a place to come during the day so that his loved ones don't have to pay for in-home care or place him in an assisted living facility.
Thia Tran has many responsibilities including checking the news everyday for interesting articles that she might share with the seniors. Here she does this on Dec. 11 at the Adult Day Services center.
Thia Tran and Tony Paniagua stand up from their chairs and dance for a minute to accordion music on Dec. 2 at the Adult Day Services Center. Paniagua is quite the jokester always quick to make people laugh and start to dance despite the fact that he uses a walker.
.Thia Tran shares some news stories with the seniors on Friday Dec. 11 at the Catholic Charities' Adult Day Services center in San Francisco, CA.
Thia Tran prepares an after lunch desert for the seniors on Friday Dec. 11 at the Catholic Charities' Adult Day Service center in San Francisco, CA.
Thia Tran sits at the feet of some of the seniors while she listens to the visitors from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on Dec. 11 at the Catholic Charities Adult Day Services Center in San Francisco, CA.
Dorothy Linebarger is overcome with emotion while listening to the guests from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music play on Dec.11 at the Catholic Charities' Adult Day Services center in San Francisco, CA.
Thia Tran helps walk Lois Bailey out to the van that will take her home for the day. It was pouring rain as the seniors left the center on Dec. 11.
SFSU GATORS RUGBY
In the fall of 2008 I did this photo story on San Francisco State’s Rugby team. I attended practices, games and team events.
SFSU Gators Rugby club players stand together for a group photo after the Gators V. Fog game on Saturday the Dec. 6, 2008.
Chris MacDougall, one of the captains of the team runs to catch the ball durning practice on Monday Dec. 1, 2008 at Lobos Field. Lobos Field is unkept often wet and muddy field.
Jamie Gunton, who plays Fly half and Jeffery Schmidt, who plays eight man and another one of the team captains practice at Lobos Field on Nov. 21, 2008. SFSU athletics department suspended Rugby in 2007 leaving the team unfunded, without a coach, and lacking equipment.
Chris Macdougall yells directions during a scrum at practice Dec. 5, 2008 at Lobos Field. Despite being underfunded the club has tripled in size in the last three years.
Alex Brown, who plays flanker is lifted during practice on the Dec. 5, 2008 at Lobos Field.
Andrew Ritter, the Rugby club president wipes blood out of his broken nose during practice on Nov 21. Injuries seem to be fairly common in a sport as brutal of football and played mostly without padding or protective gear.
Alex Brown drinks at the game after party on Dec. 6. There seems to be a tradition of drinking for some players on the Gators Rugby team, especially once a game is over.
Alex Brown gets sick during practice on Nov. 21, the last day of classes before fall break, at Lobos Field because of drinking before arriving at practice.
Andrew Ritter gives a peptalk at the end of practice on Dec. 5, 2008 at Lobos Field. If there is one thing the club is not lacking it is enthusiasm for the game of Rugby.
The players get ready for a scrum at the beginning of the Gators v. Fog game on the Dec. 6, 2008 on Treasure Island. The San Francisco Fog Rugby Club is a city team with funding and coaches.
The Gators v. Fog Game on Dec. 6, 2008.
Ross Lesslie has the ball taken away from him during the Gators v. Fog Game on Dec. 6.
Ignacio Palmeri who plays fly half and Chris Macdougall one of the captains of the SFSU Gators Rugby team try to retrieve the ball during the in Gators v. Fog game on Dec. 6, 2008.
Nathan Greene who plays half back is disappointed after the San Francisco Fog Rugby Club scores during the Gators v. Fog game on Dec. 6.
After the Gators are defeated by the San Francisco Fog Rugby Club the players of both teams shake hands.
Michael Deller who was man of the match during the SFSU Gators v. the San Francisco Fog rugby game is shown here "shooting the boot", or drinking beer out of a dirty shoe, a rugby tradition.
The players' jerseys are laid out on the grass before the game on Dec. 6 to make it easier for the players to find their number. The Gators Rugby Club hopes to gain funding from SFSU in the future.
